Dutch Pancakes (Pannekoeken)

When I asked J what he wanted for his birthday dinner – he replied “pancakes… we haven’t had them for dinner for ages!” He was right, it was probably 2004 when we had them last.

The pancakes he was talking about were Dutch pancakes, not Dutch baby pancakes, but real Dutch pancakes. They are large and slightly thicker than a crepe, and are often served with a variety of toppings, including cheese and bacon. We enjoy them for dinner, not breakfast.

100% Whole Wheat Stollen with Almond Paste

The traditional German Christmas bread just got a little healthier! This version is made with 100% whole wheat flour, studded with plump fruit, and stuffed with almond paste. It’s perfect for breakfast or with a cup of tea or coffee.

Dutch Honey Cake (Honingkoek)

This delicious loaf is also known as breakfast cake. It’s suitable for dairy-free individuals. The texture is somewhat closer to bread than a cake, and is typically enjoyed with lashings of butter. It’s easy to make, chewy, lightly spiced, low in fat, and the flavor only gets better with time.

It was J (not surprisingly) who introduced me to this cake. It’s easily available in Europe (again, not surprisingly), and there are many variants in the shops, including one with stem ginger. We loved them all!

Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins - Gluten Free & Vegan

Five years ago, I would never have thought I could walk into a bakery and not buy anything. I love my cakes, muffins and pastries. The only problem is that I’m allergic to American dairy. Eating anything is a little bit of a risk for me. Although I can drool at the cakes, I rarely eat them and when I do, I take a very small bite.

It was time to try another recipe from the Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free and Vegan Baking book. I love this recipe book, but it is RIDDLED with editorial errors. How this book got into print, I have no idea…

100% Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

We’ve always had a thing about cinnamon rolls. I can’t explain what it is. Maybe it’s the warm, sweet and inviting aroma of cinnamon? Maybe it’s the soft and delicious bread or maybe it’s the combination of both!

The only issue is that the cinnamon rolls you can usually buy, are packed full of saturated fats and all sorts of nasties. A classic cinnabon roll is 813 calories, total fat 32 g, 8 g saturated fat and 55 g sugars. They make me sick thinking about them!

I was thus on the search for a healthier option. Each one of these babies are only 340 calories, with a total fat of 3 g and 18 g sugar. They are also made with 100% whole wheat flour and are totally awesome. They make me want to sing just typing about them!

100% Whole Wheat Challah

Challah (pronounced “haa-laa”) is a traditional Jewish bread, made with eggs, flour, yeast and water.

I’ve never been particularly fond of challah. I guess it’s because I have images of those rock-hard challah loaves that are sold in supermarkets (grocery stores), which have a shelf life of 1+ months … eek! We’ve even bought freshly baked (from scratch) challah from a bakery in West Seattle, but again I wasn’t overly impressed.

The only reason I chose a challah recipe this week, was because it looked pretty. There, I said it!

Vegan Gluten-Free Oat & Berry Bars

This weekend I didn’t have to work or be someplace else, which meant it was playtime in my kitchen!

On Saturday, I whipped up two loaves of Roquefort bread, granola and these vegan gluten-free oat & berry bars. I still had enough time to prep loads of veggie skewers for our barbecue dinner.

These bars are oaty, chewy and chock-full of berries. They contain no refined sugar and won’t give those annoying pangs afterwards. They are satisfying and taste really wholesome. The bars aren’t overly sweet and the berries have just the right amount of tartness, to make the bar really good.

100% Whole-Wheat Walnut Bread

I wasn't expecting much when I made this bread. When I sliced into it, it was another thing. The loaf had a nice crumb, sliced well and was immensely soft and fluffy inside. I had to do a double-take on the recipe to make sure it was 100% whole-wheat and it was! It’s delicious on its own, with mature cheese or butter.

As you probably know, I’m working my way through Bernard Clayton’s complete book of breads – it’s an awesome book. I’ve still to find a recipe we don’t like!

Wheat Germ Bread

WARNING: When baking this bread, it will make you salivate at the delicious aromas emanating from your oven. The wonderful depth of the black treacle (molasses) paired up with the buttery undertones, is reminiscent of either gingerbread or a parkin loaf baking.

When the loaf is finally done, you really have to wait about 10-15 minutes at least for it to cool slightly before cutting into it. I find this absolute torture – to me, it’s like forbidden fruit that you’re not supposed to eat. You should wait about 45-60 minutes, but after 10-15 minutes, it was fine.

All-Butter Croissants

I’ve been spoilt, so spoilt that I’ve tasted fresh croissants in France. And once you’ve tasted the real deal in France, nothing will ever come close in comparison. So, if you ever happen to be visiting France, do NOT, I repeat do NOT try their fresh croissants. Otherwise, you’ll suffer a life-long torment in searching for the perfect croissant again.

Frisian Sugar Loaf - Suikerbrood

A few years ago, my Mother-in-law introduced me to suikerbrood. I remember her serving it up thickly sliced on a small plate with tea. My brother-in-law made some comment about either I’d love it or hate it, but he loves it. It turned out I loved it! What is there not to love about bread that is swirled with cinnamon and pockets of sugary goodness?

High Fiber Bran-Nut Bread

This bread is full of fiber! I’d love to call this bread, “make-you-go-bread” - but it doesn’t sound very appealing, does it?

This bread calls for baking powder as opposed to yeast, so in essence it’s a “quick” bread. The bread is best if you make it a day before serving. This will allow the flavors to develop and make slicing easier.

Potato Rolls

I usually eat healthily, although this photograph paints a different picture. I do on occasions, have a burger and fries. But even then, everything is homemade and the fries are baked. I also eat a huge-five-portion-fruit/veg salad with this meal. The total of this meal was 800 calories, not bad going considering most of my dinners are around 700 calories.

Dark Chocolate & Roasted Hazelnut Spread

We used to love Nutella. So much so, that one Christmas, my brother-in-law bought us a humungous jar (3 kg, 6.6 lb) from Luxembourg. Let’s say that jar didn’t last very long!

When we relocated, we ceased to consume it. The Nutella available in the Americas contain modified palm oil, whereas the European variant contains vegetable oil. I would have liked to say that the European stuff is better, but sadly, it’s not. I was blissfully ignorant of the ingredients at the time. All variants of Nutella, regardless of which country it’s sold in, contains soy lecithin and artificial vanillin - two ingredients that I choose not to eat. Read about soy lecithin and vanillin in my nitty gritty pages.

Cuban Bread

I’ve been slowly working my way through "Bernhard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads". Today it was “Cuban Bread”. Don’t even ask me why it’s called “Cuban”, because it has exactly the same ingredients as a French bread – flour, yeast, salt, water and a bit of sugar.

This bread is super-easy. I made it the evening before using my stand mixer, stuck it in the fridge for a cold prove, then in the morning, punched it down and shaped it, left it for 1 hour and then started to bake it.

Apricot Compote

Last year, Trader Joe’s did wonderful offers on fruit, such as 3 lbs of organic cherries for $5.99 and a dozen of organic apricots for $3.99. I very rarely buy my produce from Trader Joe’s, because their quality isn’t on par with PCC. But these were steals!

The cherries didn’t last long in our house, but the apricots were a little tart, so I let them ripen on the counter top. In a day, some of them were starting to go bad at the stem, so I decided to make a batch of apricot compote.

Thirty-Minute White Bread

There's nothing that quite compares to the aroma of freshly baked bread emanating from your own oven!

Today's recipe was "Thirty-Minute White Bread". It's a simple bread, especially if you have a kitchen machine that does all the kneading for you and takes less than 2 hours from start to finish. The “thirty-minute” in the name refers to the time required to prove the bread.

Quick and Easy Vegan Banana & Walnut Cake

Cake for breakfast sounds a little over-indulgent. But if you call this a bread instead – maybe it will take away some of its indulgence.

It’s not the prettiest of cakes, but it’s absolutely delicious. It has a crispy crust, which encases a slightly sweet, fluffy and light interior, which carries a hint of banana and the crunch of walnuts. It’s just perfect for breakfast/brunch.

Oil-Free Granola

Granola is certainly not a low-calorie food, but it is a powerhouse of energy and is ideal for breakfast or snacking. Here in the US, granola comes in almost every flavor you can imagine. However, in the UK it’s not widely available - the closest thing I can describe it as, is bits of crunchy flapjacks. That is, British flapjacks, not American…that’s a different kettle of fish altogether.

It’s similar to crunchy British flapjacks because the base for granola is oats, brown sugar/honey/liquid sweetener, fat and optional add-ins. With the addition of dried fruit, nutritious seeds and nuts, the granola mix can be a densely-nutritious food.

Hot Cross Buns

There's a bun in the oven! Ok, not one bun, but several. And not ANY buns... hot cross buns. You know "hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one-a-penny, two-a-penny, hot cross buns, if you have no daughters, give them to your sons, one-a-penny, two-a-penny, hot cross buns".

Don't worry, I haven't lost my marbles - it was a silly nursery rhyme we were made to learn at school. It was with reference to the small and spicy fruit buns decorated with a cross, traditionally eaten on Good Friday to celebrate the religious significance of the resurrection of Christ.